Boren scholar returns from selective study-abroad experience in Tanzania

By: Alissa Paolella, University Writer

A rising senior Honors College student and Central State University’s first Boren Scholar, Danielle Darkenwald spent three months in Tanzania taking courses in Swahili literature, the history of Tanzania, and other languages.

The award is highly competitive, with exceptional students from universities across the U.S. earning their spots. In 2022, the Boren Awards named 121 Boren Fellows and 208 Boren Scholars from 246 graduate and 458 undergraduate applications, according to https://www.borenawards.org/. 

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Environmental engineering students win global competition

Jaden Smith and Kimberly Smith of the Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Water Resources Management, won the undergraduate-level entry in the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT) Global Symposium Student Poster Competition.

Their research is done as part of a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Center for Connected and Automated Transportation. CSU researchers will investigate safety aspects of "self-driving" cars. For this project, Central State is partnering with other institutions in the Region V University Transportation Center including the University of Michigan, Purdue University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Akron, Washtenaw Community College, Northwestern University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Jaden and Kimberly's project “CAV systems incorporating air quality from traffic congestion” involves an app to be used in connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs or automated cars) that can detect pollutants and greenhouse gas levels, alerting passengers of poor air quality.

Congratulations, Jaden and Kimberly! 

View the poster

Calling all future Marauders!

Central State is excited to have you join our community, and we are looking forward to supporting you.

To help you get oriented, we have planned Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) specifically for new students on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Joshua I. Smith Center for Education & Natural Sciences building. This will give you the opportunity to meet other new students, current students, faculty, and staff. You will also have the chance to learn more about the resources and support services available to you on campus.

To ensure you've completed the necessary steps, visit our website.

Fulbright Scholars bring their cultures to campus

By: Alissa Paolella, University Writer

In April, Honors College students in pursuit of the International Honors designation at Central State shared some of those cultures during an International Bazaar. Among the nations that were represented were Liberia, Russia, Taiwan, Bahamas, Haiti, Gambia, Guatemala, and Tanzania. 

In addition to students, presenters included this academic year’s Fulbright Language Teaching Assistants (FLTA): Yu Chiang of Tawain, who teaches Chinese; Daria Lenchenkova of Russian, who teaches Russian; and Jane Shange of Tanzania, who teaches Swahili.  

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CSU Professor Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi, Ph.D., co-authors new book

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi, professor of manufacturing engineering, has co-authored a recently published book, 'Emerging Technologies in Manufacturing.' The book, co-authored by Dr. Matthew Sadiku, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi, and Dr. Philip Adebo, addresses emerging technologies in the manufacturing industry such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, and augmented reality.

WCSU 88.9 FM presents Funky Friday Live

For the first time in its 60-year history, WCSU, the first federally licensed HBCU radio station, will have a national over-the-air broadcasting presence. Trent Darby, a Dayton, Ohio, native and a 30-year radio veteran, hosts Funky Friday. Darby weaves funk artists of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s with anecdotal knowledge of the genre’s history. WCSU is excited to be part of this project that showcases funk — a distinct genre that originated in African American communities with deep roots in nearby Dayton. 

Marauder heading to New Jersey for prestigious Tiffany & Co. internship

By: Alissa Paolella, University Writer

A Central State University rising senior has landed an internship with Tiffany & Co, a world-renowned luxury brand known for its jewelry and artisanship.  

Carolyn Ross-Staples is headed to Parsippany, New Jersey, for an intensive summer internship as a business analyst and information technology app developer with Tiffany.  

A computer science major hailing from Milwaukee, Ross-Staples is also a recipient of the About Love scholarship, a $2 million initiative between Tiffany & Co., Beyoncé, and JAY-Z. The program provides scholarships for students pursuing the arts and creative fields at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Central State.  

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CSU Professor Ramanitharan Kandiah accepted as prestigious fellow

In December, Dr. Ramanitharan Kandiah received his Diplomate, American Water Resources Engineers Certificate, making him one of only 800 people around the world with this designation.

This month, Dr. Kandiah was accepted as an American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental & Water Resources Institute Fellow. Dr. Kandiah said that being named an ASCE-EWRI Fellow means a lot to him personally, and, "It may also help provide the program and the department more visibility and recognition, thus, (raising) the department profile."

Support a Central State athlete making a difference in his community

Ibrahima Jarjou, an international student on a basketball scholarship, is fulfilling his dreams of giving back to his community in Senegal, West Africa. In addition to playing basketball at Central State, Jarjou has consistently been on the dean’s list, is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, and currently serves as the President of the Central State Chapter of Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology. 

Jarjou’s accolades don’t stop there. He’s on a mission to make this world a little better than he found it. Centering the mentoring of young kids, Casamance Made serves the youths of Senegalese children and aims to educate them and provide opportunities not generally available.  

In Jarjou’s own words, “I am more than an athlete, but basketball has opened so many doors for me and has taken me places that I could never imagine.” Growing up in Senegal, many children in Jarjou’s village would play basketball barefoot, and he wished that “someone would be kind enough to give me a pair of shoes and an opportunity to do something with their lives.” Now, he wants to provide other children like him with the opportunity through Casamance Made.   

Currently, Jarjou is planning another Casamance Made event. He is coordinating a two-day basketball camp in Senegal. The hope is to provide kids with new opportunities, through basketball, fellowship, and education. In addition to donating his time and equipment, Jarjou hopes to also provide shoes, t-shirts, and meals to the community. Jarjou says, “Casamance Made is a dream come true. It is my calling and a way for me to give these kids a chance to be great.”  

To support Jarjou’s dream of giving back to his community, you can make a donation to Casamance Made at https://casamancemade.com/. 

Counseling Services: Ending stigma by centering mental health

By: Alissa Paolella, University Writer

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Central State University Counseling Services treats it like every other month — because encouraging students to seek help when they need it and ending stigma cannot be limited to four weeks of the year. 

Central State stakeholders were invited to participate in the United Negro College Fund’s virtual mental health student conference, “Unapologetically Free.” The UNCF, in conjunction with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Steve Fund, centers mental health on Black college campuses.  

Through a partnership with these organizations and JPMorgan Chase, Central State students, faculty, and staff had access to a series of webinars, workshops for faculty, and discussions.

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Community engagement and partnerships lead to innovative programs

By: Alissa Paolella, University Writer

The Department of Community Engagement and Business Partnerships has cultivated a partnership with Advocate Aurora Health, a Chicago- and Milwaukee-based healthcare provider. The program aims to develop a diverse talent pool for the health system. Advocate Aurora Health identified Central State as the top candidate for its initiative due to its relative proximity to the University — the HBCU of the Midwest.  

With the health system providing funding of $40,000 for immersive programming including $15,000 in scholarships, Central State identified a cohort of students under the direction of Syndey Williams, JD, director of the Graduate School Preparation Program. Ten students interested in health careers made up the first cohort of students in the program.

Students and faculty traveled to Chicago in the spring semester to meet with executives and partners. Advocate Aurora Health also plans to create a mentorship program with Central State students and current staff through internships.  

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Education students win Ohio Education Association scholarships

Christian “Chrissy” Jackson, a sophomore in the College of Education, majoring in intervention specialist, won a $5,000 scholarship from the Ohio Education Association. Two additional Central State students, Chenae Roker and Laketa Wright, each received a $500 book scholarship to help with their schooling expenses. 

Congratulations, Chrissy, Chanae, and Laketa!  

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Central State University opens new workforce development center in Dayton

Thanks to $3.6 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Central State University has established a Workforce Training and Business Development Center at the Dayton campus. The funds are designed to combat pandemic-related workforce shortages, especially for African Americans and other disproportionately impacted minority populations. The center will be a regional hub for training in essential industries including manufacturing and information technology.

'American Idol' season three winner, Fantasia Barrino, enrolls at Central State

Fantasia Barrino has enrolled in CSU Global, Central State's online degree platform. She is also an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.

Central State University breaks ground on state-of-the-art research facility

On April 28, Central State University broke ground on a new research facility. The facility is 40,000 square feet and will enhance Central State's 1890 Land-Grant mission by providing state-of-the-art research labs, focusing on precision agriculture, food safety, and basic sciences.

CSU alum Harmon Carey spotlighted for starting the first Black-owned radio station in Delaware, WHGE 95.3 FM

CSU alum Harmon Carey, a sociology major, was profiled in Delaware Online for starting the first Black-owned radio station in Delaware in 2018. WHGE, known as 'The Education & Advocacy Radio Station,' features jazz music and programs about Black history and current issues like voter rights.